Forever in Gaea
by Lou71187
Summary: Hitomi returns to Gaea months after leaving. She didn't think she would ever see Van again, but with her return in Gaea, the lovers reunite. Follow this story of romance and many, many surprises.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne. I love it and wished I owned it because I would then add more seasons to the series…

Note to readers: Hello everyone! This is my second fanfic, but first for Escaflowne. My first story was for Card Captor Sakura, called Syaoran's Song, and thanks to those great reviews, I have been motivated to write more. But I decided to write for Escaflowne because I've seen the series and the movie multiple times and I really wish they had made more episodes. Please write reviews, good and bad, the good to make me smile and the bad to help me improve as a writer. Thanks!

**Chapter 1: Reunion**

_It's been months_. _Why am I still thinking of him?_ Those deep red eyes… that dark hair… and their last embrace. Hitomi leaned back and looked out into the dim sky. A star shot across the night scene and she knew she could never forget him. She told him she wouldn't when they last met, but she didn't think it could happen. She hoped he would become a fond memory.

Hitomi closed her eyes. I want to see him again, to hold him… 

She opened her eyes and saw the moon… and Earth!

"Hoe!"

Hitomi looked around, she was surrounded by trees and a lonely dirt path. "Could it be? Am I… in Gaea?" She rose and began to take the road. The view of a city, an oh so familiar city, loomed across her view.

In the castle…

"Van!" Merle dashed into his arms. He smiled and hugged the feline.

"Van, you won't believe who's at the gates! Van, it's her, it's her!" Merle exclaimed. He looked at her with a surprised look. _It couldn't be._ He dropped Merle and ran to the castle gates. Sure enough, it was her. She looked a little different from what he remembered. She wore a green tank top and a short white skirt. It looked as if she had grown up a lot.

"Van?" Hitomi asked, stunned. They hugged each other, both still stunned, but smiling.

"I've missed you," he whispered.

Merle came running up behind them. She jumped on Hitomi and began licking her face. "Hello Merle," Hitomi laughed.

Merle jumped off and looked at her, "You look different."

Hitomi blushed and looked away, "No, I'm the same."

"Why are you here?" Van asked.

"You're here for the wedding, right?" Merle implied.

Hitomi gasped, took a step back, and looked at Van. She should have known. She looked down, "Congratulations."

Van looked confused as Merle giggled, "No, Hitomi, not Van!"

Hitomi sighed and then looked at Merle, "Whose then?"

Van placed his hands on Hitomi's shoulders, "Allen's."

"Hoe! Allen!" Hitomi thought of the blonde-haired knight and then of the blonde-haired princess. Again, she looked down, depressed, "Millerna's?"

Van sighed and nodded. "Are you… upset?"

Hitomi thought about the response. Was she? No… She wasn't mad. Shocked, but not angry. It had only been months since she left Gaea and so much had happened. When did Millerna and Dryden decide to separate? How did Allen come into the picture so soon after? Allen and Millerna had been truly in love.

Van saw Hitomi in deep meditation. He looked up at the sky. "Allen is a man of chivalry."

"Huh?" Hitomi looked at him.

"Come inside and I'll explain," Van placed his arm around her waist and led her into the castle.


	2. Revelation

Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne. 

Note to readers: I'm posting this at the same time as the first chapter, so I haven't received any reviews yet. Please do write. I love to read them!

**Chapter 2: Revelation**

"After Dryden left Millerna, she was confused. I was surprised to see her come to Fanelia a few weeks after their separation. She told me that even though we didn't know each other well, she needed advice. I replied that I would give it to her if I could.

Flashback…

'I thought of studying medicine. I've always wanted to help people.' Millerna took a sip of tea. 'But I know that Asturia needs a king. Dryden was a good man, but we could not rule when we are not in love.'

'So you must find the right man for you,' I stated.

'I know that you assume I would only think of Allen to rule with me,' she smiled, 'and I did too. So when Dryden left, I went to him. That was about a month ago.'

'What did he say?'

'He was hesitant to say anything… but actions speak louder than words,' her face changed to a black stare. Silence fell over the room for several minutes.

'You said you wanted advice?'

Millerna put down her cup of tea. 'I haven't told Allen the truth. I found out last week and I don't know if I can tell him.' Tears fell down her cheek as she placed her hands on her stomach.

I was confused, 'Princess?'

'I want Allen to marry me because he wants to, and for no other reason. He is a knight. I know he would want to do what's right.' Millerna looked straight at me.

'I'm sorry, I don't understand.'

Millerna took my hands in hers, 'I do not want him to marry me just because I am carrying his child.'

End of flashback.

I told her to tell him, that he would do the right thing and marry her out of love anyway. She told him and they're getting married in two weeks."

Hitomi shook her head, "I can't believe it. What did King Aston say?"

"He wasn't too pleased, but he is old and knows that Millerna will not marry anyone else. Asturia needs a king," Van replied.

"Have you spoken to Allen?" Hitomi asked.

Van nodded, "Yes. He assured me that he wouldn't let Millerna raise his child without him. But then he said, 'not again', and I didn't understand. However, I didn't question him."

"I don't think I can lie to you," Hitomi sighed.

Van looked at her, again, confused.

"Prince Chid of Freid is the result of an unbelievable love affair… between Allen and Marlene."


	3. Reconsidering

Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne : ( 

Note to readers: Thank you to ichigogirlR, Sakurajr17, and reiniku for their reviews. As requested, this chapter will be longer than the previous ones. I hope you enjoy it… And please continue to review.

**Chapter 3: Reconsidering**

Van looked at her with a hint of surprise, but composed himself in thought of when he last saw Chid. "I suppose they shared a resemblance. I can see why Allen would not disclose such truth. It would be strange if Millerna knew that information."

Hitomi sweatdropped. "Um… she does. S-she found out… even before I did."

Van sighed, "Millerna is a strong woman."

There was stillness in the room for a few moments. Hitomi looked pass Van, out the ceiling-to-floor length windows that stretched across the room, and saw the view of the entire city. It had been completely and beautifully rebuilt since she left. The structure was similar to pre-Zaibach attack, but everything seemed grander. She smiled out of pride, the Fanelia that lay before her was as a result of hard work and dedication, led by their king, Van Fanel.

"You're kingdom is beautiful," Hitomi stretched her hand out and placed it over Van's.

"Since the wedding is still several days away, I can give you a full-length tour. If you'd like."

"Oh, I would love that!" Hitomi beamed. However, her face became expressionless after thinking of her mother and her friends back on Earth. "Van… I don't think I can stay. Not even for the wedding."

"Nani?" he asked.

"It's just that… well, it's a long time to be gone."

Van began counting in his head, "It's only about four days on the Mystic Moon."

"My family will wonder about me. When I went home the first time, it was as if time went backwards. It won't do that again. When I go back, it will be as if I went missing."

Van got up and began walking out of the room. Hitomi followed him and placed a hand on his shoulder as he walked pass the doorway, "Van…"

He stopped. "Just go home then." He dropped his shoulder and her hand fell to the side. Van continued to his room, without even looking back.

"Van…"

Merle was in her room when she heard steps nearing down the hallway. She poked her head out and smiled, "Van!" He continued pass her and opened the door into his own room. After entering, he left the door ajar. Merle followed and saw his resting on his bed, arms behind his head on the pillow, and his eyes staring into the ceiling, as if searching for an answer.

"Van," Merle whispered as she sat next to him, "what's wrong?"

He groaned, "I'm selfish."

She tilted her head to the right and over his face. She shook her head, "No, you are not."

"I don't want her to leave. I was so happy to see her because I've missed her so much, but now I can't stand her leaving."

"Maybe she won't," Merle proposed, "Maybe she came here to decide if she should stay. After all, she didn't even know about the wedding. She just wanted to see you."

Merle was right, but Van wasn't convinced that Hitomi would stay. "I put on a smile when I let her go months ago. It killed me inside, but I didn't want to be selfish. I wanted her to be happy. When I checked on her shortly after, she assured me she was all right. Behind her smile, I knew she felt the heartbreak. We shared the agony and when she reappeared at the gates, I thought she wanted to save us both from our miseries. But she doesn't want to stay." He closed his eyes.

Merle looked at him intently, this was the most open he had ever been to her about his feelings. Seeing him sad made her feel even worse. "Stay here and rest, Lord Van," Merle smiled. She purred, licked his left cheek and left.

As she closed his door behind her, she saw a lost Hitomi down the hall, looking through open doors.

Hitomi saw her and waved, "Merle! Have you seen Van?"

Merle pounced in front of her and looked away, "He's resting right now." She looked at Hitomi's concerned eyes, "We can check on him later."

Hitomi wanted to see him now, but settled for Merle's response. "Do you want to go take a walk outside? I want to get a look of the city."

Merle smiled and agreed. Hitomi followed her through the long stretch of hallways. _Van… _she thought. The two proceeded out the castle gates and walked the stone path through the center of the city.

Merle pointed to a house on the right side, "See that?" Hitomi nodded. "That's where Catalina Kin lives. You better watch out for her. Her family's known very well here, very prosperous. Her father's a merchant and her mother sings. They moved here about two months ago. I've heard that she's taking a liking to Lord Van. It's not uncommon for people to marry when they're as young as sixteen." Hitomi looked at the house. It loomed above the others and stood at about one-third the height of the castle. Another woman? Hitomi hadn't even thought of the possibility.

Merle continued to take Hitomi down the road and they turned right before the entrance to the forest, where Hitomi had found herself when she arrived in Gaea.

As they kept walking, Hitomi looked down as Merle. Merle had always been so faithful to Van. She never left his side, sometimes physically, but not mentally. "Is he angry at me?" Hitomi asked.

"Yes," Merle replied bluntly.

Hitomi frowned. Merle smiled, "And no… You see, he's been lonely without you. You were his first love and letting you go was hard. But because he loves you, he can never really be angry at you."

"I think he didn't want to hear me say that I couldn't stay," Hitomi declared, "but, Merle, what would he have me do? I'm still young and I've tried to convince myself that I could live without the Mystic Moon and my family, but I don't think I can. Van has lived so much of his life independently. I'm not as strong. I even thought for a while that Gaea was all a dream, part of me wanted to. But now that I'm here, I know it's real and I don't want to attach myself too much or else I'll never let it go."

Merle looked up at the conflicted girl, "Van loves you. If he had to, he would let you go again. It would hurt a lot, but he would. He wants you to stay because he's been alone for so long. His independence has made him strong and weak, you just have not seen the weakness."

Merle looked at the path, "Hitomi, at least stay for a while. You can't just come here and then leave. Don't be selfish."

Hitomi looked at the creature on her left. She was right. Hitomi was selfish. She came as she pleased and would leave when she wanted. Love meant being selfless. Did she really love Van?


End file.
